Dolphins' D-Ends Looking to Dominate in '09

The Miami Dolphins unthinkable 2008 journey from worst to first was due in large part to the solid play along the defensive line.  Miami transitioned to a base 3-4 scheme full-time in 2008, which requires stout linemen that can occupy blockers and allow linebackers to flow to the football.  The nose tackle is of utmost importance, anchoring the line and generally battling double teams all game long.

However, 3-4 defensive ends have been getting more love lately.  The NFL is a copycat league, and with the recent defensive success of 3-4 teams such as the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and New England Patriots, 3-4 defensive ends have been valued higher than ever.

The Patriots sport a Pro Bowler at each end in Richard Seymour and Ty Warren, and many believe their success influenced the somewhat surprising selection of LSU's Tyson Jackson by the Kansas City Chiefs with the third overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. 

Draft gurus had Jackson rated in the 15-25 range of overall prospects in the draft, but new Chiefs GM Scott Pioli clearly valued him higher.  Pioli, who helped to select Seymour and Warren in New England, witnessed first-hand the importance of strong DE play in the 3-4 defense.

Pioli's father-in-law, Bill Parcells, also values 3-4 defensive ends very highly.  One of Parcells' first orders of business with the Dolphins was to get younger and stronger along the d-line.

As a result, two out of the Dolphins first four selections of the 2008 NFL draft went to 3-4 defensive ends.  Miami chose Clemson's Phillip Merling with the first selection in the second round, and then chose Hampton's Kendall Langford in the third.  They even added Arizona's Lionel Dotson in the seventh round for good measure.  These picks were made even after the Dolphins made DE Randy Starks a prize free-agent addition.

The play of the newcomers went a long way to the success of the defense and to the overall turn-around of the team.  Langford started all 16 games as a rookie, and Merling saw significant action, rotating with Starks and the recently departed Vonnie Holliday. 

Merling had one of the most memorable plays in 2008 for Miami, intercepting a Brett Favre screen-pass and returing it for a touchdown in the final game of the regular season against the hated New York Jets.  The play helped to seal a Dolphins victory and resulting AFC East title.

Looking ahead to 2009, Miami's group of defensive ends remains relatively unchanged.  Gone is the aging Vonnie Holliday, who played admirable, if not unspectacular football in 2008.  Aiming to add depth, the Dolphins added Jacksonville's Tony McDaniel via trade, swapping a seventh round selection in the '09 Draft for the former University of Tennessee standout.  Merling, Langford, Starks, and Dotson are all back, and so is big (6'5", 315 pound) Rodrique Wright.  Miami added Purdue's Ryan Baker as a UFA for more depth.

The DE's should be a strength on this team. They are very young (average age: 24.3 yrs), big (avg. 6'5" 299 pounds), and strong.  These players generally play the 5-technique on first and second down, lining up on the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle. 

They may play some 3 or 4 if the SAM plays over the TE. Their No. 1 priority is to clog running lanes and occupy blockers so that the MIKE and MOE can flow to the ball carrier.

Miami's group, young as they are, did a decent job of it last year and should be much improved going into next year. The only DE with 3-4 experience going into 2008 was Vonnie Holliday, and he played more of a hybrid 3-4 under Nick Saban/Dom Capers. With a whole year under their belt, Merling, Starks, and Langford should be beasts against the run.

The point of contention that keeps arising is their ability to rush the passer. On first and second downs, in a passing situation, they need to improve their pass rushing moves coming out of the 5-technique slot.

On third down, we saw a few different looks out of the Fins' DE's last year, depending on the offensive scheme, yards to go on third down, and personnel. We saw some 2, 3, and 4-technique play from the DE's on 3rd. Pass rushing from the 2 or 3 is very different than from the 4 or 5.

Merling and Starks, some of the quicker guys, had moderate success from some of the outside slots. Langford seemed a little too stiff to consistently pressure the QB from the 4 on third; however, he has value in occupying blockers to allow a blitzing LB or safety to come in relatively unscathed. Improvement in this area will go a long way to improving the overall pass rush and defensive success.